The disclosure relates generally to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to protection structures for metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitors.
A seal ring including a combination of metal lines connected by via plugs is provided as a protection structure that protects a chip from environmental contaminants, such as moisture or micro-cracking during a semiconductor manufacturing process, such as a die saw process. The seal ring may be placed at the outer edges of the chip to ensure reliable performance of the enclosed integrated circuit and devices. Seal rings are also used to protect capacitors, which are widely used in integrated circuits.
One of the most commonly used capacitors is the metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitor. If the seal ring is placed a distance away from the MOM capacitor, the MOM capacitor may still suffer from reliability issues. One method to enhance the reliability of the seal ring is to place one or more seal rings closer to the MOM capacitor. However, the additional seal ring(s) will occupy additional chip area and the method might be less desirable for use in advanced chip designs.